Will soon invite tenders to ensure COVID-19 vaccine for Pakistani Hajjis — religion ministry

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs announced on Tuesday it would soon invite tenders to ensure the availability of COVID-19 vaccine for local Hajj pilgrims.
The decision was made during a consultative session in Islamabad that was attended by the representatives of National Health Services, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, Expanded Program for Immunization and Polyclinic Hospital.
The meeting focused on issues related to the health and safety of Hajj pilgrims and availability of meningitis vaccine and regular flu shots.
The coronavirus pandemic also came under discussion, as the participants of the gathering tried to identify various vaccine procurement options.
“We are not going to compromise on the health and safety of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims,” said a senior ministry official, Shahid Ahmad Sindhu. “We are also going to consult the National Command and Operations Authority to ensure the availability of the coronavirus vaccine.”
Pakistan has already launched its COVID-19 vaccination campaign after receiving 500,000 doses of China’s Sinopharm vaccine.
The country is also expected to get 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in the coming months under a global scheme for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine to developing nations.